Cut-price Van Nistelrooy set to join Harry at Spurs?

Spurs representatives are understood to have held further talks with their Real counterparts on Monday over a £1.25million move to White Hart Lane for theDutchman, who is 33 next month.

Despite concerns over his age and fitness, boss Harry Redknapp appears to have persuaded chairman Daniel Levy to back him in his move for the former Manchester United striker, who will command wages in the £70,000-a-week bracket, putting him among the top earners at Spurs.

Ruud van Nistelrooy has been a firm hit with Real Madrid supporters

Van Nistelrooy, who also attracted the attention of Fulham, has only just returned to light jogging after seven months recovering from surgery to his right knee, having damaged cruciate ligaments in the same knee in 2000.

Could Spurs boss Harry Redknapp be on the verge of bringing Ruud van Nistelrooy to White Hart Lane?

Real are ready to let Van Nistelrooy go because club president Floretino Perez must shift players to make room for new arrivals.

Van Nistelrooy became a hit with Real fans during the past three seasons following a £12m move from United, his impressive strike rate earning him the nickname ‘Van Gol’.

Although it remains to be seen whether Van Nistelrooy can once again cope with the rigours of English football, Redknapp is certainly no stranger to breathing new life into veterans as his track record with the likes of Paul Merson, Kanu and Sol Campbell shows.

The Spurs boss has been on the look-out for a powerful striker to lead the line and should Van Nistelrooy be able to capture former glories then the move would represent shrewd business.

Van Nistelrooy’s arrival would cast into even more serious doubt the futures of both Roman Pavlyuchenko and Darren Bent.

The fact that Redknapp also remains keen on Blackburn’s Roque Santa Cruz is further evidence of a major strike force overhaul.